A North Cork pub is urging the hospitality sector to implement an accessible app to support employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities.
Geary’s bar in Charleville recently teamed up with accessible technology firm, AssistiV, to help team member David Mullins, who has an intellectual disability, into a working role at the venue.
Using the AssistiV app, Mr Mullins works with his colleagues to take orders, wait tables, and serve customers, while the platform converts his tasks into digestible visual and audio cues.
Ireland has one of the lowest rates of employment for disabled people in Europe, at 32.6%, according to Inclusion Ireland.
That statistic further decreases for people with intellectual disabilities, standing at 17%.
AssistiV, in partnership with Heineken Ireland, is working to address the challenge by bringing its technology to more pubs and bars across the country, with the aim of solving the high-level of vacancies in the sector whilst creating employment opportunities for more people with intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, and autism.
The company now supports 23 roles for people with learning and intellectual disabilities across the hospitality sector, with a further 25 in other industries.
Mr Mullins said his job at Geary’s pub has “given me so much confidence and independence”.
“I love sport, so working in Geary’s is brilliant because it’s such a big part of the bar,” said Mr Mullins.
“I really enjoy welcoming customers, talking about the matches and being part of the team here.”
Mr Mullins is also a graduate of Heineken Ireland’s Ahhh-cademy, a trade quality programme that supports skills development in the hospitality sector.
General manager of Geary’s, Corina Gough, said AssistiV’s app has been “instrumental in supporting David to work with greater independence”.
“When we took on David, we saw his potential and wanted to support his interest in bar work,” she said.
“We’ve seen him grow in confidence over the months and build great relationships with our customers.
“He comes into work with a pep in his step.
“The learnings we’ve taken from setting up the system have enabled us to streamline training for all new staff and help them get up to speed much faster,” Ms Gough added.
“We’ve seen first-hand how these changes benefit both employees and customers, and we would strongly encourage other hospitality businesses to look at how they might do the same.”